(CNN) A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that mailed-in ballots in Minnesota must be received by elections officials no later than Election Day and suggested voters consider other options for casting their ballots. The 2-1 ruling -- a win for the Republican challengers to the state's plans -- cuts off a weeklong window after Election Day where state officials had planned to receive ballots that had lingered in the mail. The court found the Minnesota secretary of state's accommodation went against a state law that said ballots delivered by mail to elections officials after 8 p.m. on Election Day should be marked late. "The Secretary's instructions to count mail-in ballots received up to seven days after Election Day stand in direct contradiction to Minnesota election law governing presidential elections," the ruling stated. The 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals urged voters to consider voting in other ways, because the court has not yet decided if votes that come in via mail after Election Day are legal.

Source: CNN October 29, 2020 23:22 UTC